Prep football, Week 5: Defense powers MVC's decisive victory

WATSONVILLE -- Monte Vista Christian School's high-powered offense scored more than 50 points for the fourth time in five football games this season. The Mustangs can thank their defense for that.

MVC forced five turnovers, including three interceptions, and crushed visiting North Salinas 55-14 in the teams' Monterey Bay League Pacific Division game Friday night.

Two turnovers led directly to touchdowns for MVC.

It was a statement game for the defending league champion Mustangs (5-0, 1-0), who travel to Seaside to face the powerhouse Spartans next week.

MVC shared last year's league crown with Christopher and Monterey. Both those schools now compete in the MBL Gabilan Division.

"Everyone keeps talking about last year," quarterback Nick Matiasevich said of MVC's championship team. "I feel pretty great about this year."

MVC jumped to a 28-7 lead at the half, thanks to a pair of defensive touchdowns.

Matiasevich, also a cornerback, had a 15-yard fumble return after Vikings quarterback Justyn Gutierrez was stripped. Safety David Hightower added a 75-yard interception return just before the half.

"We just wanted to focus on this game," said Hightower, who added two touchdown receptions in the second half. "We may allow a big play here or there, but we don't break. That's our motto on defense: 'Bend but don't break.'"

The Mustangs had three fumbles in the opening half -- including one where running back Hugo Renteria lost the ball as he attempted to extend it past the goal line -- and lost two of them.

Matiasevich picked apart the Vikings defense and when he saw openings, he took off running for several big gains. He scored a pair of touchdowns in the first half. His first score came from 52 yards out and his second came from 7 yards out.

Matiasevich finished 16 of 24 for 255 yards and two touchdowns.

Receiver Matthew Pirtle had five catches for 97 yards and Hightower had four catches for 96 yards.

The Mustangs -- led by Cody Washington, Matiasevich and Hugo Renteria -- ran for 251 yards on 26 carries.

MVC's defense held tough facing North Salinas' no-huddle attack.

North Salinas' lone score in the first half came when Gutierrez connected with receiver David Dorr for a 12-yard pass play to tie the score at 7.

Gutierrez finished 17 of 26 passing for 244 yards and a touchdown. He was picked off three times.

MVC safety Dante Ambrosini had two interceptions and Quentin MacLeod had one.

"They have a good team," Gutierrez said of MVC. "We played bad, too, but we didn't take them lightly. I thought our defense did a good job against them. But they have a good secondary. (Our receivers) were open, I have to make my decisions a little faster."

MVC also got a spark from defensive lineman Dustin Samms, a transfer from Aptos, who finally became eligible to play. He had a handful of tackles at the line of scrimmage.